Battleshipsis a traditional game for two players, who will each need a paper and
pencil.

First draw a grid about 8
squares tall and wide. Label the grid with the numbers 1 to 8 along the
bottom and letters A to H along the sides. Make sure that each player’s
grid is the same! Then, making sure that the other player cannot see
what you are doing, mark “your fleet” onto your grid. An aircraft
carrier is five squares in one straight line; a battleship four squares
in one straight line, a cruiser three squares in one straight line. Each
fleet should also have two destroyers (two adjacent squares) and two
submarines (single squares). Now try to find your opponent’s fleet by
calling out a position on the grid (eg D4 or H8). He must tell you
whether you have a “hit” or a “miss”, or if you have sunk a
craft (and if so, which craft it is). The first player to sink his
opponent’s fleet is the winner.

If you would prefer not to
draw your own grids each time, you can find a free printable version of
Battleships at Activity Village, here: